Jurors at the Old Bailey have been shown footage of the arrest of Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon, who are accused of manslaughter by gross negligence of their newborn daughter, Victoria. The couple, who were living off-grid in a tent on the South Downs while evading police, did not disclose the location of their baby during their arrest in Brighton last year.
The video shows police officers repeatedly asking them about their child’s whereabouts, to which they gave no response. During the arrest, Mr. Gordon attempted to eat some food he had just purchased, but was told by PS Robert Button to wait until his identity was confirmed. Ms. Marten protested against the officers’ treatment of Mr. Gordon, claiming he was unwell and needed to eat.
The couple were eventually located in the Hollingbury area of Brighton after being spotted by a member of the public. The court also viewed footage from PC Matthew Colburn’s camera, in which Mr. Gordon continued to refuse answering questions about his child and instead asked for food.
The jury heard that two days after their arrest, the body of their newborn daughter was found in a shed on nearby allotments, concealed under rubbish in a Lidl “bag for life”. In addition to manslaughter, the couple face charges of cruelty to their baby, concealment of the baby’s birth, causing or allowing her death, and perverting the course of justice by hiding the body. The trial continues.
